The Sad Truth about Corn, Wheat and Soy in Dog Food and Treats

While we always pay such close attention to every morsel that goes into our own mouths and the mouths of our children, do any of us really suspect that there could be a multitude of unhealthy ingredients in what we are feeding our dogs? The sad truth about corn, wheat and soy in dog food and treats is probably even more serious than you may want to believe.

Most dog owners spend a small fortune on name brand foods that list protein as the first ingredient, thinking they are giving their furry friend the very best, when in reality, that has nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not that food is healthy.

Beyond Unhealthy – Some Dog Food Is Downright Dangerous!

Before even thinking about wheat gluten, which is a big subject that happens to be quite controversial on several levels, some dog foods over the years have not only been manufactured with unhealthy ingredients, but have also been manufactured with dangerously contaminated ingredients as well. As recently as 2007, dog food made from a product which was purported to be gluten was being imported from China and subject of a massive global recall.

Australia and the United States of America both found that pets and livestock were dying from products manufactured from what should have been gluten but was contaminated with lethal amounts of melamine. A close cousin to cyanide in molecular structure, melamine is typically used as a fire retardant but is, or can be, lethal when ingested. In February of 2008, two Chinese nationals and a US businessman were indicted by the Federal Government for conspiracy to import a product which should have been gluten but the trio knew otherwise. The FDA stated they knowingly sold a product that was tainted, but their lust for profit overrode ethical business practices.

Why Is Corn Bad for Dogs?

There is a great deal of controversy over whether or not corn is bad for dogs. Those who say that corn is not bad do so on the premise that corn is neither a filler nor a ‘hot grain’ that causes allergies which were always two of the main reasons dog owners didn’t want to give their dogs any products manufactured with corn. They saw corn as a filler with no nutritive value and also believed that corn caused allergies in pets.

Actually, corn is a good source of fiber and does have nutritional value, but that is not the main reason why so many dog owners today do not want dog food or treats made with corn. It all stems from a California based company, Monsanto, and their introduction to GMO into food crops. Of particular import are grains and corn is a grain. Early ‘testing’ was done with corn and now corn is one of the leading crops of concern. Genetically modified organisms were introduced into corn to provide ‘natural’ pesticide properties.

Monsanto believes that by giving corn the ability to kill and discourage insects from devouring the crop they would be using fewer chemical pesticides. However, there is no evidence to date to support their claims that GMOs are not dangerous. In fact, quite the contrary is true which leaves dog owners seeking healthy dog treats and food free from GMO. Allergies aside, corn is not good for your dog because of the potential for the corn to have been contaminated with genetically modified organisms which were proven in laboratory conditions to cause a number of issues, of which cancer is one!

Wheat and Soy – Why Are They Not Healthy?

It seems as though the world had caught the gluten frenzy! Because a statistically minute portion of the population suffers from Celiac disease, all of a sudden gluten is evil. Actually, gluten is one of the key components within wheat that gives bread its light texture and elasticity. Gluten is the protein in wheat, and other grains, and such a small portion of the population suffers from this rare condition, it’s amazing how you see everything being labeled ‘gluten free’ as if gluten was a weapon of mass destruction! For the most part, the hype is nothing more than that – advertising hype to sell expensive products.

What is dangerous, again, about wheat and soy is the potential to have been genetically modified. Like corn, wheat falls in the grain category and farmers are now introducing GMO for larger crops that are purported to ‘naturally’ resist pests. In addition, wheat is also one of the most common allergens for the human species and that’s why there is a commonly held theory that dogs may also suffer from allergies to wheat. It has been proven that some dogs do, indeed, have a sensitivity to wheat. However, it is not the gluten! Soy is technically a legume which is high in fiber and under normal circumstances, would be considered to be healthy. GMO has killed that as well!

The Plain Truth – Dogs Are Carnivorous

Now then, if you look at the canine species, you will see that dogs are carnivorous! What do they eat in the wild? They certainly don’t go picking berries and eating honey from combs as do bears. Dogs will hunt and kill if they are hungry enough, as they would be in the wild. What does this tell you? The first ingredients in healthy dog food and treats should be some kind of meat, fowl or fish. Eggs are a great ingredient as well, but are not usually listed first, if included at all.

While many humans are allergic to peanuts, it doesn’t appear that most dogs are! Treats made from meat with a hint of peanut butter are always a welcome treat and considered to be very healthy as long as those same treats do not contain corn, wheat or soy. No, not for the reasons previously held, but more so because of the potential to have been contaminated by GMO. If you want to give your dog healthy food and treats to ensure a better quality of life, and a longer one at that, you will seek products free from this unholy trio.

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